From Progressivism to Paralysis

The Progressive Movement succeeded in replacing laissez-faire with public oversight of safety and markets. But its vision of neutral administration, in which officials in lab coats mechanically applied law, never reflected the realities and political tradeoffs in most public choices. The result, after fifty years, is public paralysis. In an effort to avoid bad public choices, the operating system precludes good public choices. It must be rebuilt to honor human agency and reinvigorate democratic choices.

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Principles to Unify America

“America is deeply divided”: That’s the post-mortem wisdom from this year’s election. Surveys repeatedly show, however, that most Americans share the same core values and goals, such as responsibility, accountability, and fairness. One issue that enjoys overwhelming popular support is the need to fix broken government.

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Essays & ReportsAndrew Park
Civil Service on the Radar

For decades, Paul Volcker and other good government reformers called for overhauling federal civil service. Good candidates are repelled by rigid hiring protocols, by red tape management, and by the inability to get rid of poor performers. But almost no one paid attention.

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NewslettersAndrew Park
Another Opportunity Missed

It's too bad the town hall events last night did not elicit the candidates' visions for making government work better. So far the debates, including in the primary, have covered only the hot-button issues in the news. (See here for a compendium of last night's questions).

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NewslettersAndrew Park
Make America Work Again

The presidential debate tonight will likely illuminate many differences between the candidates. But most voters have already made up their minds. How do the candidates attract the voters who are undecided? As in the 2016 election, a small percentage of voters in a few key states could swing the election.

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NewslettersAndrew Park
The Wake-Up Call

America's efforts at dealing with COVID-19 have been much less effective than Germany, Denmark, and New Zealand, let alone Asian countries such as South Korea. What accounts for the differences?

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NewslettersAndrew Park